The Soul of the Nether
by MoonstoneGoddess
Summary: Every dimension in Minecraft has a Guardian. The Overworld has the Sun; the End has the Dragon... but the Nether has?
1. Her

**Sorry this chapter is so short. The next ones will be as long as I can make them.**

 **If you like this story, please review. If you have something you think should happen, tell me please! I saw a Nether Fortress for the first time and was extremely inspired, but I really have no clue what is going to happen next.** **Thank you!**

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 _Her skin was deep red, with long stripes of flame yellow running along her body like gashes. One particularly wide stripe ran from the middle of her forehead down her nose to her chin. Her lips were contrasting this, as they were a red so dark they seemed to be black. Her eyes shone in her face like white-hot coals, so bright that they seemed to pierce the skin of anyone who came close. The expression in them was enough to make the fiercest, toughest adventurers back away into a lava pool or run crying for Mummy._

 _Her hair was short and spiked up from her head. The colours of it made it seem like her hair was on fire._

 _The clothes she wore were simple. Just a close-fitting dark red catsuit, the exact colour of her skin. It was extremely practical. A sheathed sword hung at her waist, along with a quiver-like thing that held tipped darts. Not arrows, though, because she didn't have time to always carry a bow as well._

 _All in all, she was an odd-looking personage, and terrifying enough to make the bravest of warriors back down and stay down._

 _But who was she?_

 _The Soul of the Nether._


	2. Where the Story Begins

**Review? Pretty please? 'Cause I like this story and I spent ages on this chapter. And Nether is kinda cool even though she hates everyone. PLEEEAAASSE?**

 **Also please suggest a scenario or an OC or something because I need more ideas, I've got enough for another few chapters but after that I have no idea.**

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Nether surveyed her domain with eyes like burning coals.

A smile tugged at her lips and she almost laughed out loud. How could any human ever think they could raid _this_? They must have been ridiculously stupid to have the mere thought go anywhere near their puny minds.

Her expression darkened. To be sure, a handful had been able to do it and even get back to the Overworld, alive. She and Sun had had many heated discussions on the topic. But those people were few. Whenever that happened, though, how enraging it was! And she could never punish those involved, either, because her servants that allowed it to happen were always dead. And she could never punish the slimy human either, because she was Nether. Her power was infinite but also restricted. She could not reach across the binds of dimensions. She scowled, and every Blaze within a hundred blocks moved away. When the mistress got angry, bad things happened.

But then Nether's mood lightened. Occasionally, the Fortress the humans tried to raid was the one she was in.

How amusing it was! When the human saw Nether approaching, eyes burning, lips twisted into a scowl, hair seemingly alight, and with a clawed finger on the hilt of her sword…

Most leaped into a lava ocean, some on purpose, suicidal in their fright, and some accidentally, light-headed and dizzy with terror. Some tried to fight her, only to be felled within three seconds. A few were stupid enough to believe that they could actually _leave._ If they made it out of the Fortress (extremely rare; only three ever had) they would either lose their way on the way back to the portal, or find that the portal rejected them. Whatever happened, the idiot humans died if they got so much as a glance at Nether. Then Nether's attendants would pick their corpse for anything remotely precious. When they had all they wanted, the humans would be left to burn at the bottom of the lava oceans and their possesions went to fill the Fortress chests.

Sun was always furious, but he was helpless in the matter. They went to Nether's dimension in search of fame, riches and danger, and if they got nothing but danger it was their own imbecilic fault.

Dragon never had any opinion. He just sat and observed. Nether found it unnerving. So she hated Dragon almost as much as she hated Sun.

Nether was roused from her thoughts as something butted her legs. She looked down to see a baby Pigman.

Instead of bowing to her with its stubby arms stretched in front and its head on the ground, as an adult would have done, it gazed witlessly up at her with doltish black eyes like beads and ran away.

Nether reached into her quiver-bag and grasped at a poison dart before she stopped. It was extremely rare that her creatures bred. A baby Pigman could be useful. It could still carry a sword, it could run fast and foolish humans might mistake its smallness for weakness. She let the dart drop back into the bag.

Then she started to walk, briskly. She was doing a check of this Fortress.

As she passed them, her creatures bowed before her. She went over the whole Fortress. Blazes watched. Skeletons, Pigmen watched. Nether glanced briefly over them all, her fire-like eyes hungrily sucking in far more information than most people learn in a year. She had questions, but not to ask them- loyal servants they were, for only the best of the best were allowed to guard a Fortress, but Nether made a point of talking only to the absolute pick of the litter. Cream of the crop. Crème de la crème. Whatever you wanted to call it, she knew what she was looking for.

Finally, she saw one. A Wither Skeleton. A creature so loyal it had remained in her service long enough for its hardy bones to wither and rot, hence the name. a creature so skilled in close-hand combat that it always carried a sword, not a bow. She would trust these creatures with her life- though she never had to, and never would have to.

Wither Skeletons were so high in ranking that they did not have to bow, but could merely salute. However, with a flick of Nether's wrist they could be a puff of smoke, and they well knew it; so they still guarded her with their lives.

Nether spoke to it quietly, in its own tongue.

" _Toukoe vesnga?"_ Nether asked. It translated into, "Any news?"

The Wither Skeleton replied in a somewhat rough, grunting voice. " _Bawwhan oorinde bin. Khonye Urtlamago oorinde iiaa taea ais iiaa pana joi bin jeevika. Nidi ma iiaa makuja-_ "

This roughly can be deciphered as, "A portal in the Overworld is being built. Spawn-Eggs have been discovered in Overworld and they learn how to use them. And one more piece of information-"

A high, whining noise sounded from the air. Nether looked up and stared.

A white, blobbish shape moved in a circular shape just above her head. It whined again. Long, white tentacles waved uselessly in the air. It circled down and floated sluggishly around the Fortress.

"WHAT?" Nether cried, using Overworld speech in her shock. Then she calmed herself down a little and turned to the Wither Skeleton. " _Ka_?" she demanded.

" _Ka li wu sune._ " It said uncomfortably. " _Yiw sune weti o…_ "

"That's what I was about to say. Some have mentioned sightings of…"

The rest of the sentence didn't matter. Because Nether knew what had been sighted.

Ghasts.

Around the Fortresses.


	3. Why Ghasts Cry

**Thank you TonightsArmy for reviewing.**

 **I have a basic plot idea but mini scenarios and OCs- ESPECIALLY OCs- would be much appreciated.**

 **Thanks!**

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Nether stared up at the Ghast. No way. How dare it appear here, now? Her fingers itched to throw a dart- but no point because first, the dart would probably go straight through and second, it was only doing what it was created for. But really? Now? Why couldn't stupid bad luck wait another hundred years?

Four hundred years previously Nether had created the Ghasts because she wanted an effective warning system that was difficult to kill. Since the only way to kill a Ghast was to reflect its own fireball at it, there was a tick in the second box, and a tick in the first box too, because the Ghasts were extremely effective. Sun was _so_ jealous.

Ghasts could see into the future- in a way.

They weren't like one of the humans at all- what were they called? Clairvoyants?- that claimed to have supernatural powers far beyond any human and would say mysterious, meaningful things and then take a pretty penny for their trouble. Not at all.

Ghasts were as Nether had created them to be; wise, quiet, good at reading between the lines.

Ghasts knew more than everyone but the Guardians (Sun, Dragon and Nether). But unlike the Guardians (well, unlike Nether at least) Ghasts could see what was happening, read between the lines, and predict what was likely to happen. Sometimes their prophecies were obvious, sometimes they were not. But there had been only one case in which a Ghast had been wrong. Only one! In four hundred years! No way could Sun or Dragon match that, ever.

When a Ghast appeared before you it was bad luck for you, your family, or bad things would happen in the area you stood on.

There has been much fantasizing in the Overworld for years since the returned 'heroes' (Bah!) had told of giant white squids that swam in the air, breathed fire and cried. Humans had been lost in a fool's paradise for years now, wondering why the Ghasts were so pale and sickly, why their whines sounded like mournful wailing and why they dropped a tear the colour of milk.

Some said they were trapped in the Nether, and that was why they cried (not really, but sort of). Some said Ghasts were the ghosts of ancient squids, who wept because they had been deserted in the Nether (not even close). Some even said that they had once been in the Overworld but had been banished to the Nether because of fireball destruction (nothing like).

In truth the Ghasts were trapped in the Nether, but they liked it that way and didn't _want_ to go to the Overworld. As for the End- no way. They were just fine where they were.

They cried from self-pity, actually. They had one of the most important jobs in the Nether- were wise, useful and helpful- and still they were rejected by society because when they appeared it meant bad luck. So they felt they weren't appreciated, and vented their anger on any human that came. Nether didn't really care when a few of her creatures were unhappy when it suited her, and in this instance it suited her very well. The Ghasts didn't suffer much anyway- they were anything but social butterflies.

But then- if the Ghast meant bad luck- if it appeared around the Fortresses, looking for the Soul of the Nether- bad things were to come- for the whole Nether.

Nether glared up at the creature. Then she turned to the Wither Skeleton.

" _Firi iiaa tu yochi. Yi o falnaki._ "

"Send out more informers. On the double."


	4. Failed Communication

**Thanks for your help, everyone who reviewed! I have a basic plot laid out (Thanks to TonightsArmy for helping with that) but I am still in desperate need of OCs because I have a grand total of three characters. Thanks!**

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Nether knelt at the soul sand. She prodded one of the Nether Warts and sat back on her heels. She didn't like gardening. It was a waste of her time. Precious, precious time. Bah! She had an infinite supply.

Besides, the garden made her feel superior to the other Guardians.

Sun had once told her that the Nether was boring- nothing but netherrack, some mushrooms, Nether Fortresses, and lava. _His_ dimension, on the other hand- so many different types of biomes like mesa and savannah and jungle and everything awesome, and plants, and water, and everything, and then Nether couldn't even grow a garden.

Nether had responded with a punch to the jaw. Three days later she'd installed Nether Wart gardens in seven of her Fortresses.

A Pigman grunted behind her. " _Uurgh eerk_."

Not for the first time, Nether wished her Pigmen had a less disgusting language. " _Ugh_?"

" _Oirk eegh ugh aark uuiigh Uh_."

"Sun says you may see him."

Nether scowled and the Pigman stepped back.

She shoved past him and ran upstairs, along the corridor and out to the balcony. She climbed the fence, looked down at the lava and dived.

She hit the lava headfirst and sliced into it easily, looking around and spotting the portal underneath. She swam down to it, ran her finger along the edge and _hey presto!_

She swam into the swirling yellow. Her vision contorted and swivelled, then seemed to shut off.

Nether wasn't unnerved. She had done this since the beginning of time.

The world reappeared, albeit swaying an awful lot. She swam upwards, away from the portal and towards the beach. When she pulled herself from the water, not even wet, she scanned the area. A long stretch of sea, then a long stretch of sand, sprinkled with the occasional cactus.

"Sun." Nether's voice was irritated. She wasn't going to wait around all day for this fool to play his hiding games. "We need to _talk_."

A hand laid on her shoulder. "Don't touch me." She swivelled around to see Sun.

Even though Sun could appear many different ways, they were all blaringly obviously Sun. Now, Sun looked slightly like a villager- idiotic dolts- only his arms weren't folded, his nose wasn't hooked, he had long sandy-yellow hair, and of course the fact that his eyes were bright gold, including the pupil, made it freakishly obvious.

"Did I fool you? You thought I was someone else?" he asked, with a cheeky grin.

"You wish." Nether glared at him. "Now tell me what is going on."

His smile faded. "What?"

"What is the portal for? I know you're teaching them to use spawn eggs. They never learn this fast. And what are they planning?"

Sun looked baffled. "What?"

"I'm not kidding. Tell me what is going on right now."

"I don't know."

Nether snorted. "So says the guy who brags several times per hour that he knows everything."

"I know-"

" _Everything in your dimension. You are all powerful…_ " Nether cut in, mimicking his words irritably. "You said it _again_ last time we all three met."

"I… I don't-"

Nether grabbed at the collar of his shirt. "Listen to me, Sun." she hissed. "I am far more powerful than you can ever be. Your greatest defence is _day_ , and that can only defeat one type of my creatures."

"And- and the zombies!" Sun choked out, pulling at her hands.

"They gave up being my creatures for living in the Overworld, closer to food." Nether spat.

"Go _away_!" Sun cried. He shoved her and suddenly she was falling into the portal behind her.

She swam to the top of the lava lake and sighed.

Then she scowled.

Sun was planning something. The Ghasts didn't lie.


	5. Cutting to the Chase

Nether paced around the Fortress. At first she was worried. Then she was angry. How dare Sun try anything funny with her!

When a Blaze approached her (timidly) she screamed at it.

To her shock, a Ghast screamed at the same time. A loud, hoarse shriek.

Another Ghast screamed as well, further off.

Another joined in. Another. Another.

This was bad.

Nether was blinded by bright light. The bright light of the-

Oh. No. No. No. No. Never. Never in 100 million years would-

The shrieking hurt her ears. The light hurt her eyes. They would take forever and a day to get adjusted to this. Both her ears and her eyes. Stop. Stop. Stop.

Skeletons burned as the rest of her creatures ran around in a panic.

"NO!" Nether howled. Her eyes squinted. She scowled ferociously. Her flame-coloured hair glinted in the- yes, yes it _was!_ \- sunlight.

Nether's lips twisted. She opened her mouth to say something-

And the domed ceiling of the Nether cavern imploded.

Something rang in Nether's ears.

She stared up. At a sky.

How dare he! What was that? Who was Sun to obliterate an entire dimension? And how had he done it?

She curled her fingers into fists and dug her nails into her palms hard enough to draw blood. Her eyes burned, looking daggers into the landscape around her.

Nothing much there worth looking at. Nothing but a few trees dotted around, a couple of flowers, a village in the distance and grass. No beasts either. None of her hellions were here with her. Likely, them being mortal, they had not been ejected from the crumbling Nether as she had. Probably they were all dead now.

A desperate scrap of her mind scrabbled for possibilities. Maybe her creatures would come to her at night?

"I doubt you'll see them again."

Nether spun around, but nobody was there. "Sun."

"Ah, that was good to see."

"How dare you, you-"

"Calm, Nether." It was definitely Sun. The same aggravating voice.

"You are nothing now. Nothing, without the world that bore your name."

"Stop."

"Why? Because it hurts?" Nether could almost see his mocking smile.

"Go away!" Nether kicked at dirt turf. Sun's presence had already left.

She moved towards the village. Where else was there to go? What she would do there was as yet a mystery. But what wasn't a mystery, now?

So she trudged there, the tall, cold grass brushing her legs. The unfamiliar sensation made her skin crawl.

It took only a short time to reach the village.

A small girl with pale grey eyes stared up at her. She was driving chickens into a mesh cage, but the moment she saw the strange lady with bright eyes and striped red-and-yellow skin, her fat birds were forgotten. As the little child gaped up at Nether her chickens scatted, clucking and squawking, flapping their useless little wings and pecking at grass. Slowly the child backed away.

"Stop." Nether's clear voice rang out, loud as if she were dictating some kind of military.

The girl stopped, frightened, shuddering as Nether's hand reached out and gripped her arm.

Nether leaned down until their noses were almost touching.

"Tell them," the words tasted bitter on her tongue, "tell them that the Nether has come to the Overworld."

The child screamed and ran, almost tripping over her long dress and disappearing around a corner. The chickens fluttered about. Nether's mouth curled in distaste and she gave a chicken a spiteful kick before going deeper into the village.


	6. The Girl

Nether was old news in the Overworld by now, but still the villagers never got tired of her. Wild tales spread about a woman who searched for monsters at night but found none, who could burn villages with a flick of her finger, who could give a stare so harsh that it made people cry.

Some called it cakes and crab muffins. Others believed it, and had dreams that hurt to think of.

But Nether was real, very real, and was roving the countryside, searching.

One night, she was looking for a place to rest for a while before moving on. There was a village on the horizon but Nether didn't want to go there. Zombies preyed on villagers, and Nether was not prepared to go among zombies. They always rekindled a little hate in her- they'd given up the Nether in favour of the Overworld and more, nearer prey.

Somewhere behind her, there was a muffled curse.

Nether spun around and stared.

There was a woman there, crouching by a bush, with a bit of spiderweb on her face. She looked like a deer caught in headlights as she froze, staring up at Nether.

"Kym…" the woman whispered softly.

As she rose, Nether realised that she wasn't an adult, but about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was small, too- barely came up to Nether's chin. But her face seemed like that of an adult. Perhaps the scars did that. They laced her pale skin, every one a bad reminder.

Her armour was clearly made of iron, but it was old and scratched, with a deep groove in the side of the chest plate. The pale colour of it contrasted with the hair falling to her waist, dark brown except for a white streak. Fleetingly Nether wondered why she didn't tie it up.

The look in the girl's eyes was weary. She placed a hand on her sword.

Nether remembered the way all those so-called Overworld 'heroes' had attempted to fight her, back in the Nether. Her lips tweaked into a smile for the first time in days. She drew her own sword.

Even in the night, it shone like fire, and she could see the girl could tell that the sword would burn. The girl drew her own sword from its scabbard. It was simple and without ornament, just a long, sharp iron bar.

Without warning, the girl attacked.

After three seconds, Nether realised something was wrong. The girl wasn't dead. Was this girl amazingly brilliant with a sword? Or had Nether lost her touch?

Nether fought back harder, her sword and fury pressing down on the girl like iron weights. The girl gritted her teeth and fought on. Nether respected her for that, though she would never in a million years have admitted it.

The girl almost landed the sword on Nether's forearm, but Nether just about managed to jump back. She cursed herself and focused more.

It wasn't long before Nether realised: in her weakened state, she couldn't kill the girl immediately, but it would happen. The girl had needs of the flesh, and she was tired. She wasn't so much slender as thin and bony, so she was probably pretty hungry. Unlike Nether, the girl couldn't go on forever.

So Nether decided to bide her time, and wait awhile. Meanwhile she'd just bait the girl, play with her a bit, as she'd always wanted to do with the heroes in the Nether, but had been unable to because she had to remove the threat quickly.

Nether behaved like her strength was sapping. The girl's eyes glinted slightly, because, tired as she was, she had-

And suddenly she was pinned down. Nether's sword was at her throat.

Nether's red-white eyes glittered as she pressed the sword down harder on the girl's neck. Her pale skin blistered with the heat of the sword. Blood trickled down her neck from where the sword sliced into her flesh.

Nether grinned with savage pleasure, her teeth very white in her dark red face.

The girl opened her mouth. "Stop the amateur dramatics," she muttered hoarsely. She took a deep breath and rasped one word. "KYM!"

Something bit fiercely at Nether's shoulder, and scraped her back. She lost her balance and fell backwards to the ground, but was up again in a trice. Her face felt hot, especially behind the eyes. She looked with loathing at the burnt girl crouching on the ground, staring at her, and her wolf, which was nudging at her shoulder and whining.

She thought of a woman who had everything. Who had an entire realm, and many species to protect. Herself, of course. But the _old_ her. Not this one.

"Don't you dare ever look at me again." Nether said. Her voice choked up a little. Hoping the girl hadn't noticed, she moved away into the trees.


	7. Dragon and Dynamite

**Thanks to Girlthatreads for Dynamite! She's a cool character :)**

 **I finally get to write about Dragon. Score! Dragon is cool.**

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Nether never slept. Never. But she wanted to, so she did. She figured she may as well. She had nothing else to do. No Nether mobs had come. None at all. Her eyes burned and she opened them.

Pale blue eyes stared inquisitively into her own.

Furiously, Nether lunged out and struck the girl in the stomach. Unprepared, she sprawled backwards. Her wolf snarled.

Nether was already on her feet. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?" she yelled.

The girl lay on the dirt. Her face closed over, shutting out all expression. A grey scarf was knotted around her neck. It was bloodstained.

She shoved the long, wildly swinging brown hair out of her eyes. "I want to know who you are," she said. She raised her scarred chin and stared, almost daring Nether to attack.

"Why should I tell you who I am?" Nether asked.

"Why shouldn't you?" the girl responded.

"Well, who are you?" Nether could hardly believe she was having this conversation with a _human_. She glared. "Other than just another boring, unimportant Over-dweller."

"So sick of it," the girl muttered. Then she looked straight into Nether's eyes. "I'm Dynamite." She snapped. "Orphan from Aston, griefer of Point Pass. That enough information for you? Oh, I forgot to add the _ma'am_ on the end. _My bad_."

Nether scowled. "Yes, you did forget the ma'am."

The girl- Dynamite- laughed out loud. Then she stopped. "So who _are_ you?" she questioned, rocking on her feet.

Nether smiled grimly. "Only your pet saved you from death at my hands last night." Her smile disappeared. "Now you are asking who I am."

Dynamite bit her lip, her face closing over again. "I want to know." She whistled softly and the wolf pushed its nose out of bushes.

Nether gave her a scathing look. Flames danced in the middle of her eyes. She flicked her hand and the bushes exploded into flames. The wolf whined, or yelped, or something (Nether couldn't tell what) and ran to Dynamite. Dynamite peered at Nether. "I didn't see the fire charge."

Nether sneered. "Ignorant brat."

Dynamite raised her chin. "Arrogant goose."

Nether scowled. How dare this-

Then she finally smiled. "You need to find my place before you can put me in it."

"Well where is it?"

Nether raised an eyebrow. "Here's a clue."

Obsidian snaked along the ground and grew up into a black-purple portal. Nether ran her finger along it. For a moment the space inside the rectangle flared, flickered purple-

And Nether knelt down to help Dynamite up from the ground.

Dynamite's sky blue eyes rested on the spot where the portal had exploded, shooting thin jets of obsidian into the air and turning the forest floor near it to rubble. "Wha…?"

"My name is Nether, you brat!" Nether hissed irritably. Would this idiot ever wake up?

The wolf whined, scared by the noise. Nether kicked it, taking savage pleasure in its yelps of pain.

"Don't do that to Kym!"

"Your stupid wolf is nothing." Nether yelled.

"You sound like a little girl, whingeing like that and throwing temper tantrums," Dynamite said. She rolled her blue eyes and knelt by Kym, gently pressing the wolf's belly to see if she was hurt.

For once Nether didn't have anything to say. She stomped away.

Behind her, Dynamite gasped and scrambled somewhere. Nether turned on her heel and raised her eyebrows. "I'm surprised Sun let you in."

A circle of grass had wilted slightly around Dragon. The dark ridges on his back stood out against the green and his eyes shone purple. He was totally out of place here. Usually Nether, Sun and Dragon met in the star- studded empty space between dimensions no creature but them could ever see.

Dragon stared at her. He _would_. "He didn't. I got round him."

"Too easy, isn't it?" Then Nether groaned. "But why are you here?"

"Because Sun is insane. You told me that yourself."

"Soo… you want to help me?"

"Because that's not conspicuous at all." Dynamite broke in. Nether hadn't even realised she was listening. "A weirdo that looks like a dragon, a freak who wants to kill everyone and a griefer with a wolf? No-one will ever know who we are."

Nether whipped her head around and bored into Dynamite with her sharp white-hot eyes. "Who invited you? Either of you?"

Dynamite glowered and retreated into the trees.

Dragon cocked his head and just looked.


	8. White Eyes

Nether scowled at Dragon. "Something to say?"

Dragon shook his head.

Nether made an exasperated sound and walked away, her feet crunching on dead leaves. She _hated_ Dragon. He was such a creep- barely ever spoke, just stared at everything like someone demented.

No, _Sun_ was demented, cutting off Overworld travel to both the Nether and- after a while, once Eyes of Ender had run out- the End. Like some kind of protective parent or something.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Everything was dumb, everything was imbecilic, and Nether had slapped the label 'ignoramus' on existence in general.

She kicked a tree moodily. All it did was scrape her bare feet. She angrily set it alight and watched as burning leaves drifted down, giving the tree a halo of light.

" _Durnyi oorinde!_ " Nether muttered. Then, with some surprise, she realised she'd used Wither Skeleton speak.

Her eyes burned and, for the first time in her extremely long life, she wished she had the ability to cry.

"You okay?" asked a tentative voice behind her.

Nether spun around and glared at Dynamite.

"Sun is stupid." Dynamite asserted. "Dragon filled me in," she added quickly.

Nether wanted to slap her. "Stop trying to understand. You can't."

Dynamite looked shocked for a split second. Then she started to laugh. Her long hair swayed as she shook.

Nether was furious. "Very funny, isn't it?"

Dynamite smiled, and Nether's cold, angry demeanour shook itself off despite her.

"I can understand a whole lot better than you give me credit for. I already told you I'm an orphan. And…"

Her eyes clouded over. "I don't want to talk about it." she said coldly.

As she walked away, Nether wondered what it was that she didn't want to talk about.

Dragon took her attention. "What happened exactly? I mean, how did you survive?"

"It expelled me." Nether answered shortly. "And so I was here, and I just…"

She stomped her foot and walked away.

"I will _kill_ Sun." she muttered. " _Kill_ him!"

"He'll respawn," Dragon called. "As I do. But not you."

Nether turned on her heel and the colour visibly faded out of her face. "I-"

Then the colour returned, more brilliant than before. "Blood and ashes," she muttered. It was the best curse she could come up with on the spot.

When killed, Dragon respawned- in _his_ dimension. Sun had been killed once or twice before, and respawned- in _his_ dimension. Nether had never been killed, but if she had, she would respawn- in _her_ dimension.

Without her dimension to spawn in…

The forest set on sudden fire around Nether. She was just a shadow in the middle of the flames. Her eyes burnt as she glowered out from her fortress of flames.

"Anyone who comes near me," she spat, " _dies_. Immediately."

Dynamite stared out from behind a bush, with Kym.

Ashes and embers flew. Dynamite cried out as one stung her face, and quickly pulled a small glass vial from a small satchel on the ground beside her, drinking the contents. She was shrouded in strange-coloured mist.

 _Potion of fire resistance_.

Nether stared. Was it the light, or were Dynamite's normally blue eyes a bright white?


	9. Library Books

Honestly, Nether was such an idiot. Were they trying to stay inconspicuous or what? No way would Sun ever see them now! The forest was in utter freaking flames!

Dynamite groaned and ruffled Kym's fur.

Kym whined. The fire was getting painfully hot.

"She's going to set our home one fire. What do you think of that, Kym?" Dynamite asked.

Kym lay on the grass, tongue rippling in the wind. The fire roared.

"Stop it Nether! You aren't helping anything!" Dynamite yelled.

The shadow in the centre of the fire turned its head and stared at Dynamite. She shrugged nonchalantly. "There's a village that I 'work at' -in quotation marks- not far from here. It has a pretty extensive library. We could, you know, do some productive research and stuff. Or not. Your choice.

The fire relaxed and lowered. Nether raised an eyebrow, waiting for Dynamite to get up.

Her eyes were _definitely_ white.

Dynamite caught Nether staring. Her face changed into a thundercloud. "Don't you dare ask or Kym and I will attack. At the same time. And I have potions."

"Oh really?" Nether bit. 'That's nothing on me, honey. I created-"

She bit her lip. No Ghasts anymore.

Dynamite started off into the trees, making motions for Nether to stay where she was.

When she returned, she was wearing iron armour again over her tracksuit. Her sword was buckled at her side and she carried a small pouch a little like the one Nether carried.

Nether raised her eyebrows. Dynamite glared. "You learn to be prepared. Most of the villagers are majorly prejudiced."

Dynamite quickly turned away after this cryptic speech, but not so quickly that Nether didn't notice the tears shining in her eyes.

It took half a day to get to that village. Half a day. Nether was still in a mood to label everything as stupid, Dynamite had lapsed into silence, walking stiffly and staring ahead, and of course Dragon didn't say anything, he just gawked at stuff, so there was silence all the way. Nether swore in her mind for most of it. Eventually, eventually, the village appeared on the horizon. When Nether glanced at Dynamite, her eyes were blue again.

"That's the one." Dynamite said, grimly. "Keep on your guard. They don't like me." she unconsciously brushed her hand against her face, and the many small scars on it.

When they weren't far away, Dynamite reached into the pouch by her side and drew out a small, red packet/stick thing.

Nether didn't recognise it, but Dragon looked troubled. "You carry those around?"

Dynamite glanced at him. "It's in my job description."

Dragon frowned. "You're a griefer?"

Dynamite looked at him. "No. I guard the village." A sour smile tweaked at her lips. "But the villagers aren't pleased at having a curse for a defender, so I have had to resort to getting the pay they won't give me other ways."

Dragon nodded. "I see."

Dynamite looked at him with an odd expression. Then she raised her chin and strode on faster than before. Nether followed, taking a few seconds to match her pace.

"SHE"S COMING!" somebody screamed. Doors slammed. People ran.

Dynamite sighed. "Every time," she murmured wistfully. "But…" She returned to business. "Library's over there," she pointed. "The librarian really hates me. Maybe best if I don't-"

"You've been in a library before. We haven't. Come on."

Dynamite groaned. "Fine. But don't blame me if he goes crazy."

The first words when they went inside: "You carry that stuff around just in case?"

Dynamite looked at the boy behind the table. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked. "And where's your father?"

"Where's _your_ father?" asked a crabbed, oldish man crouching in a corner with a massive book.

"I've told you and told you that he. Is. Dead."

"Herobrine doesn't die." The man snapped.

"Lay off me." Dynamite spoke coolly, and only Dragon noticed the way her eyebrows knit slightly. "Just let me get a book."

They all sat there, all the day and through the night. A few times Dynamite dropped off, as did the crabby man and the boy, who looked about Dynamite's age.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

Finally, the next morning, Dynamite's eyes had skin that was purple underneath them. "I couldn't find anything."

"It was a stupid idea!" Nether fumed. "Why would anyone write a book on how to get your flaming dimension back? You idiots don't even know us Guardians _exist_ for the most part." She slapped the book down on the floor and rushed out through the door.

Dragon continued browsing through his book.

"Guardians?" asked the boy at the table.

Dynamite turned to him and glared.


	10. Seb

**Thanks to TonightsArmy for Seb! Sorry I took so long to post the new chapter. I was busy all week.**

* * *

The boy at the counter raised his hands as though in a gesture of surrender. "It was just a question! Calm _down_."

Dynamite rolled her eyes, but then stopped halfway through, so she was staring awkwardly to one side.

The crabbed old man glared. Dynamite hadn't realised before how much his face looked like a wizened apple.

"Seb, don't talk to that girl! You know what she is!"

Dynamite stamped her foot. "Oh my god!"

"And what was that weird girl in here? And the creepy scaly man? Get out of my library!" His plump, wrinkled cheeks jiggled with rage.

"We're going." Dynamite snapped. "You think we _want_ to have to deal with your stench?"

As soon as she was outside, she sagged against the wall. "Every single time," she muttered defeatedly.

Nether glared around. She stomped on the ground. "What is _with_ these people?" she almost screamed to no-one in particular.

"Nether, now is not a good time." Dragon said calmly. "Or a good place, for that matter."

Dynamite sighed, opened her eyes and nodded. "The people of the village are very superstitious. I know you saw, Nether, when I drank the potion. I have to carry freaking TNT around because of it." She reached into the bag of the red tubes. "Think of what they'll do to you two."

Nether's anger slowly subdued as she stared down at herself. She looked at her red-and-yellow skin, her sword and darts, her clawed hands…

Then she glanced at Dragon. A black scaly pattern on his skin, bright purple eyes, and black leather furled around him in the shape of a cloak and tunic. He stared back at her and tossed his longish dark hair.

"You're right," Nether muttered. "It is dangerous. We can't appear where people are often. Sun will be tracking us."

Dragon nodded approvingly.

"We'll have to improvise as to what we're going to do." Dynamite put in.

Nether shook her head helplessly. "No clue."

"What are you talking about?" a new voice asked curiously.

"None of your business," Nether snapped at the boy from the library, who had appeared in the doorway.

"Does it, by any chance, have anything to do with the sudden and random inability to travel to the Nether?"

Dynamite's head snapped around to face him.

"What, you think I wouldn't be interested? And of course, no way would I have been listening in on you last night," he continued nonchalantly.

Dynamite could have sworn that Dragon smirked at this point.

Nether reached into the bag, feeling the different dart tips.

Dragon stopped her. "Wait."

Nether looked at him like he was crazy.

"He might know something."

"Yeah, sure."

Dragon sighed. "Folk tales in this instance can be incredibly useful. Also, I'm sure the villagers will like us a lot more once you dart the librarian's son."

Nether rolled her eyes. "Fine…" she huffed.

"Hellooo?" the library boy cut in. He stared at his own hands. "It appears I am still here."

Nether shot him a withering look.

"Thank you for the acknowledgement! I'm Seb," was the reply.

Nether stretched and ignored him completely.

"Nether, Dragon and Dynamite," Dynamite promptly put in. She seemed awfully eager.

 _Idiot_ , chided that little voice inside Nether's head that was honestly so irritating sometimes. _She's been related to Herobrine in the eyes of gossip her whole life. Of course she's eager to actually be talked to like a human_.

Nether glared at Seb.

"Just to be clear, I don't like you, and I wash my hands of the whole affair." she spat. Lava pooled in her cupped hands and dripped onto the path. She stalked away.

Dragon looked around. "We should leave."

"I'm coming," Seb said quickly.

"As you like," was Dragon's inexpressive response.


	11. Smoke Signals

**I did the ending a slight cliffhanger on purpose. I'm sorry.**

 **I aplogise if this chapter isn't up to scratch. I am sick at the moment so I highly doubt that my writing is at its best. I tried though.**

* * *

Back in the wooded area near Dynamite's house, Dynamite was feeling mightily annoyed.

Nether was sulking for no apparent reason and Dragon didn't talk all that much so there wasn't anyone else in the conversation she was having with Seb, and every moment she was starting to despise him more.

Just looking at him infuriated her, because it was obvious _he_ didn't have to wear armour whenever he went out anywhere. This, among other things, made him easy to hate, despite that she was not used to being treated as anything but an enemy of the world.

His laid-back, lazy and slightly sarcastic manner somehow made her feel riled up and angry. The two of them chatted, rather reluctantly on both sides, until Dynamite got so vexed that she excused herself and bruised her fists by punching at random trees. Kym cowered under a bush somewhere.

Finally, finally, Dragon managed to yank Nether over to Seb and start a conversation. Dynamite was very relieved and sat on the grass, silently fuming.

When she chose to pay attention (a whole fifteen minutes later) Nether and Dragon were arguing about mythology, which, apparently, was related to the issue at hand. Although, to be honest, Dynamite wasn't really completely sure what issue they were trying to solve.

"The library thing didn't work, and there were so many books of mythology in there! We looked at them!" Nether yelled.

"There may be folk tales about the Aether and what happened to it…"

"Which is relevant how?" Nether's eyes were flaming.

"You know how it's closed off except to a precious few. The Nether can't be _destroyed._ It's just- locked. You _know_ it's true, Nether."

Nether shook her head. "And how has this anything to do with folk tales?"

"Well, you know that stories have spread about the red hell-woman." Dragon's lip tweaked as he said the words, almost smirking. "Mythology is based on truth, if it itself is not the truth. There have _got_ to be stories about the sealing of the Aether and it might give you some clues."

Nether groaned. "So basically we go around attempting to get the villagers to tell us their legends if they have any. Yes, that'll work, and not be at all degrading."

Dragon smirked and jerked his head toward Seb and Dynamite. Seb made an extremely sarcastic face and Dynamite coughed unnecessarily loudly. Nether did not comment but her face went a little brighter in colour.

"Pretty much," Dragon answered.

"Well, that place- what is it called? Yes, Point Pass- I'm sure that such an insignificant place has its own mythology."

"It does," Seb cut in. "But not about the Aether. There are very few folklore stories about it. That's more philosopher's ground. So little people have ever tried to go there, and far few have done it, so nobody's sure if it even really exists."

Nether stared at Dragon in a _told you so_ manner.

Dynamite jumped to her feet. "In which case you've served your purpose. Leave us alone."

Seb raised his hands. "I have no intention of doing otherwise. Not with… certain arrogant… Yeah, I'm going."

"Good riddance!" Nether called after him.

Dragon looked at him as he left and sighed. "I guess that was a failure."

"Yes. Yes it was." Nether felt dull and empty.

She hated this feeling more than anything. So she channelled it- into something else. Fury. That was easy, for her.

She dug her sharp clawed nails into her palms. Drops of dark red, almost black, blood welled in her hand. She set a leaf on a tree nearby alight.

It flared, it burned- and in a trice four other trees were on fire as well. It was a hot day. The blaze spread easily. Kym ran, whimpering, out from under the bush.

"You've already burnt down half of this place!" Dynamite yelled. Nether ignored her and watched the flames leap from one tree to another.

Dynamite screamed some more ineffective things, but finally gave up and just left. Dragon too had to flee the scene. Unlike Nether, he could take fire damage.

Finally, when it was literally the middle of the night, the fire died down. Dragon hurried into the burnt ashes of the forest.

But Nether wasn't there.


	12. Hunter

**Thanks to ShadowScorch the Duelmaster for Hunter. He _will_ be appearing more in the next couple chapters. Sorry this is so short, the next few chapters will be longer. Pinky promise :)**

* * *

Nether was claustrophobic.

She'd never realised this before now, because even though the Nether was finite _vertically_ , it was horizontally infinite, and Nether Fortresses had few small rooms without windows.

But this room was tiny. There was barely space to breathe. Plus, it was dark and she was pretty sure she could hear zombies outside, which always made her angry. Logically, zombies would have belonged to the Nether along with their stranger relatives the zombie pigmen, but they gave it up in favour of Overworld dwelling and closer food sources, even though the idiots died when they got out of their caves.

Nether slapped at the wall, but it must have been made of bedrock or obsidian or something, because it was practically impossible to even crack.

Finally she gave up punching it and sat down, her knees hunched right up under her chin and the point of her sheathed sword digging awkwardly into her knee. She felt in her dart bag to see if she had somehow managed to hide a pickaxe in there by mistake.

No such luck, but she did find some things she'd put in there years ago, taken from humans who'd attempted to invade the Nether.

There were a few Blaze rods and two little pots like those that contain beauty products, except one held magma cream and the other kept a puddle of milky ghast's tears. There were also two golden apples, several little lumps of Redstone and, of all things, a rabbit's foot. Right at the bottom were three Wither Skeleton skulls. They were part of a little project she'd been working on for a while before a bit of drama between Skeletons and Pigmen had diverted her attention.

She groaned. What was the use anyway? She might as well die where she lay. It's not like it'd be noticed- except by stupid Sun, who'd see it as some kind of victory. Idiot.

She was not sure where she was or how she'd got there, but she did know that she'd get out. Someway or another. Mad or sane. But she'd do it. She would. She would.

And at that moment the dark blocks were removed and her eyes were blinded. She blinked awkwardly in the Overworld light.

When the world came into focus, she realised she was right. A zombie in a ragged shirt and various types of dented armour.

"Who _are_ you?" Nether asked, too confused to assume her high-and-mighty role just yet.

"Hunter, if you must know," the zombie growled. "And I'm here to tell you that the Master will see you now."


	13. Your Damn Master

"Your damn master can go burn himself."

Hunter returned the pickaxe he'd used to the rack, which held many of them, and then turned and scowled at her. "Since your life is in my Master's hands, I would advise that you do not say these types of things."

"My life? In someone else's hands?" Nether laughed almost manically at the absurdity of the idea.

"I do not see what is so comical about it. I believe you will not be laughing so much when you see who my Master _is_."

Nether looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "I know who he is, dimwit. _You_ are the literally brainless one, _remember_?"

"No, I don't." Hunter's face was expressionless. "How can I possibly remember anything if, as you say, I have no brain?" He turned away. "Now, hurry up. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Nether followed Hunter through a maze of corridors and small rooms and big rooms.

Nether amused herself by looking around. Hunter had a sword on his back, which, despite being clearly old and used, was obviously very well cared for. There were several banners on the walls, armour stands, and basically every type of unneeded decoration. The walls were mostly made of sandstone, but there were blocks of precious gems built in as well. There were at least three paintings in every room.

Finally, the winding corridors opened into a huge domed room made entirely of precious gems. Modest.

At the end opposite to the door there was a large throne. It was made of chiselled sandstone and was encrusted with emeralds. Again, modest.

Sitting on the throne was somebody she knew all too well.

"How are you, Nether?" Sun asked in a perfectly normal tone of voice.

Nether stepped up to him and punched him on the nose.

* * *

 **And in an ineffably different place...**

* * *

"Nether?"

Dragon shook his head at Dynamite. "Stop. You're being irrational. She's gone. Yelling her name won't change that."

"But _where_?" Nether was horrible to her, but for some inexplicable reason, tears were forming in Dynamite's eyes.

"If I knew that we wouldn't be talking about it, would we?"

Dynamite groaned. "I'm going to the village."

"Why would Nether be in the village?"

"Good point," sighed Dynamite.

She kicked her shoe against a burnt tree stump. "What do you think she's doing right now?"

Dragon smirked. Just slightly. "If I know anything about either of them, she's kicking Sun's butt."

Dynamite laughed in spite of herself.

"Far as I know, the sun is a large flaming ball of gas."

Dynamite turned. "Oh, just _great_!"

Seb stood there casually, watching Dragon and Dynamite.

"What do you want?" Dynamite yelled.

"To know why you three set everything on fire. Duh."

"Oh God."

Dragon sighed. "It involved several factors, none of which are anything related to your business."

Seb looked at them both, his eyes flicking from Dragon to Dynamite and back again.

"Have you seen Nether?" Dynamite burst out suddenly.

"The crazy angry lady? Nope."

Dynamite sighed. "Bug off then."


	14. The Fight of your Goddamned Lives

**Again, this chapter is a little short. I'm sorry. But I will post the next chapter ASAP to make up for it :)**

* * *

It took precisely 0.1 seconds for Sun's nose to explode into a bloody red tomato.

"Nether!" he sputtered.

"Shut the heck up!" Nether screamed. She looked at him with hatred and felt savage pleasure in watching blood spurt from his face like it was a fountain running crimson water.

She didn't know where she was and right now she sure as hell did not care in the least. Fury ran through her veins like bubbling magma.

She looked on with satisfaction as Sun's visible confidence faded. He knew this side of her. He'd met it several times and it had never ended well for him.

In fact, he'd lost a finger once when Nether was in one such mood.

Nether pulled her sword quickly out of its sheath.

Light hit it and it glowed like molten gold.

Maybe it was. Sun didn't know.

Nether struck with speed, only to find her sword blocked.

By Hunter's.

"Get out of my way!" Nether recklessly kicked out at him, but he moved out of the way with more speed than was to be expected of a zombie.

"Dynamite's not the only one who hides behind her pets, I see," Nether snarled. She was doing her best to guard the hollow, sick feeling inside.

The anger was gone now, replaced by the empty feeling that she so hated.

Sun could see it.

No! No! She wouldn't let him!

Anger had run through her veins like magma. Then emptiness had swamped her and her blood slowed. But now determination rushed through her, cold and hard.

She glared at Sun, who was smiling enigmatically, and Hunter, who was absolutely expressionless but stood in front of Sun.

"You two want a fight?" she growled. "Fine. You can have the fight of your goddamned lives."

* * *

 **And in an ineffably different place...**

* * *

Dragon sighed, his head bent.

"What?" Dynamite demanded as soon as Seb had gone.

"Nothing. It's just…"

"What?" demanded Dynamite, almost hysterical at this point.

Dragon shook his head. "Just- things in the End. It doesn't matter."

"Ah. Well…"

Dynamite trailed off and stared at the sky. Suddenly she looked around. "Where's Kym?"

Dragon shrugged.

Dynamite stared around, then started shouting. "Kym? Kym!"

After several minutes Kym finally was found. She'd somehow managed to dig out a rabbit hole and get stuck in it.

Dynamite sat and stroked Kym's back.

"Where is she?" she asked Dragon yet again.

"Wherever _he_ is," replied Dragon humourlessly.

Dynamite's eyes widened. Even though it was pretty easy to figure out, she still just couldn't quite wrap her head around it. I mean, the Nether had been destroyed- or locked away, whatever-, then it had a living personality, then the living personality had been kidnapped by a _different_ living personality apparently.

She stroked Kym's back.

 _Wherever he is…_


	15. We All Hide Behind Pets At Times

**I'm back! YAAAAY!**

 **I'm so sowwie I didn't upload, and there isn't a reason, I'm just a meaniepoopoo, and you can slap me now.**

 **(Just kidding. You probably don't care anyways. I'm probably dead to you. SO PLEASE DON'T SLAP ME. I don't wanna be smacked. Cri.)**

 **I made this chapter as good as I could, and I will be writing and uploading the next chapter ASAP.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Nether grabbed at a dart- what tip? Weakness; it'd do. She threw it with deadly accuracy, but Hunter's blade deflected it with quite a lot of ease.

Damn.

Nether threw another dart, and another, but to no avail. Hunter was more skilled than most opponents she'd faced. To be sure he'd had a hell lot of time to practice.

But so had she. Nether gritted her teeth and threw yet another dart. And another. When they were all deflected, the fury crept back in.

How dare Hunter deflect her darts? Didn't he know who she _was?_

She moved closer and put her hand on her sword.

In two seconds she was moving so fast that she could barely be seen. The hot sword was everywhere at the same time. It once grazed Sun's side before Hunter pushed it away.

Generally in combat, this was to be expected. But for some reason, Nether didn't anticipate it. And it made her angry. Angry as hell.

She glared at Hunter.

And then she was almost triple speed, here, there and everywhere, and even Hunter, experienced as he was, had difficulty in blocking her sword. At one point, her sword grazed his shoulder, but the wound wasn't deep, and it barely affected his fighting.

However, her blind ferocity caused her serious problems.

It wasn't too long before she was bleeding boiling blood onto the gemstone floor. She was bruised, bleeding, tired, and sad. But also angry. She hang on desperately to the last shreds of rage.

Bad move.

As she rushed for the millionth time, Hunter managed to trip her.

She was down.

For a millisecond, there was a pause. Nether glanced around her and, for one of the first times ever, she was actually assessing her situation and deciding on an intelligent approach.

Her fingers grazed the slightly dusty block of emerald she lay on and she thought about the miners who'd died digging for it.

Next moment Hunter was stumbling backwards with a fistful of soul sand in his eyes.

Nether was up in a trice and pouring the soul sand over the floor, making a pile.

"How-" Sun gasped.

"Oh," Nether cooed. She somehow stuck a lump of soul sand on the side of the pile, defying all known laws of gravity. "Little Sun seems to have forgotten how soul sand is _made_ in the first place."

She looked up as she did the same thing, except on the other side of the pile. Hunter rubbed at his sand- coated eyes.

"And Sun…" Nether dug her hand into the quiver of darts and brought out the three Wither Skeleton skulls. "Don't worry." She placed a skull on one side of the pile. "After all…" she placed another skull. Her voice hardened. "I suppose we all hide behind pets at times."

Hunter opened his eyes as Nether thrust the last skull onto the pile.

Hunter lunged, but it was no use.

"Live!" Nether screamed.

And the Wither was born.


	16. What Eyes of Ender Really Do

**I'm on a roll here. Hope you like it! So sorry for not updating for millions of years, I'm trying to make up for it.**

* * *

Skeletal eyes stared wide open at Hunter, then Sun.

Nether smiled. "Hunter; if I were you I wouldn't attack me. My new creature is friendly toward you, until you attempt to harm me."

Hunter looked at the Wither, then at Nether, then at Sun, clearly trying to decide what path of action must be taken.

Nether backed away from her triple-headed, rotted corpse-creature.

"You fight out your little battle here. Much as I'd love to stay and be amused, I have other things to do."

She slipped out a doorway and was gone.

Hunter looked askance at the Wither.

Its fleshless faces bent into a horrible grin.

Then it turned to Sun and began to fire.

Meanwhile, Nether was ducking through random hallways, searching through chests, trying to find an Eye of Ender. No such luck, though she did find several emeralds, a crust of bread and a leather helmet dyed purple.

At last, at long last, she found one.

She pulled it out of the chest, took a look at it, and put her finger to it.

She traced out letters, searing them into the Eye of Ender.

Dragon. In the Mansion Everywhere and Nowhere. Get over here. I have plans. -NETHER

She'd heard Sun bragging about his secret homes, 'into which no human can enter', enough times to know precisely where she was at this point.

Then she held the Eye in her hand.

"The orders from Guardian -1. Go all the way."

She hurled it as far as she could and it zipped down a hall.

Nether smiled. This was working out just fine.

Only the Guardians knew that the Eyes didn't try to get to the End Portal, but the closest available way to reach the Ender Dragon.

And when a Guardian ordered the Eyes to go all the way, they did.

* * *

 **And in an ineffably different place...**

* * *

Dynamite ruffled Kym's fur.

Kym yapped hopefully, nuzzling at Dynamite's hand.

"I don't _have_ anything, Kym," Dynamite muttered. "You are not being fed right now."

Kym's tail sagged.

Dragon gave a sudden yell.

"What?" shrieked Dynamite, leaping up from her sitting position on the grass. Dragon never yelled- at least not that she knew of. He never even spoke loudly. So what was it making him yell like that?

A spherical object that would probably fit perfectly into Dynamite's palm tumbled out of nowhere into Dragon's hand. Some kind of code appeared to be seared into it. It didn't seem to be normal language, that much was certain.

Dragon looked euphoric.

"It's Nether," he said excitedly.

The question mark on Dynamite's face was almost visible.

Without pausing to explain anything, Dragon produced an Ender pearl from nowhere, breathed on it, grabbed Dynamite's arm and threw it.

Dynamite shrieked as she teleported.


	17. What I Will Do

_**Hi! Three chapters in two days. I'm being a good girl and sticking to my schedule, I promise. Sorry it's a little short. I STILL have writer's block. Argh.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

Precisely five minutes 24 seconds later, Dragon, Dynamite and Nether stood in front of a huge mansion that towered so high you couldn't see the top of it. It was made of gemstones. A flashy sign out the front told anyone who cared to look that this was a home of Sun the Almighty Ruler Of…

Nether was bruised. She was bleeding. She was in far worse condition than she'd ever been in before after a fight.

But she was elated.

However, there was a new, calculating glint in her eye that perplexed and unsettled Dragon. Dynamite, not exactly overburdened with perception, did not notice this, but simply fired a barrage of questions at Nether, all of which received only a few syllables and an enigmatic smile in reply.

Dragon had lapsed into a silence, Nether wasn't saying much, but it was okay because Dynamite was saying entirely too much.

But in the middle of a sentence Dynamite looked around suddenly. "What- was- that?"

She cocked her head as though that would help her hear another explosion if one came.

Nether grinned. "Just a little something I made to kick Sun's sorry ass."

Right on cue, the walls to the mansion about fifty metres away broke and the Wither floated out, making its grotesque, breathy hum all the while.

After it stumbled Sun, looking even worse than Nether. Hunter was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh- uh-"

There was an awkward pause. Dynamite stared at the weirdo man with pupil-less golden eyes.

And now she'd seen everything.

Then Nether smiled almost triumphantly.

"This is getting real sociable, isn't it?" _*****_

Sun glanced around and seemed surprised at Dynamite's being there.

"Um… no."

Nether rolled her eyes. "Nobody asked for _your_ opinion."

The Wither grunted.

"Now, Sun, I'm going to need to borrow a Nether Star. I don't have one on me. Dragon, I've seen your damn Endermen _everywhere_ in the Nether lately. They kept on taking the Netherrack-"

"Nether, why do you need…" Sun broke in. He paused. Then his eyes widened, round as saucers. "No. No. Nether, no. I am not giving you a Nether Star."

Nether looked at him and laughed callously. "Good job for figuring it all out. But you apparently don't realise just how naïve you're being."

Sun looked like he begged to differ. But Nether went on before he could say anything.

"Don't you see? I found Wither Skeleton skulls in some chests. And of course I can make more Soul Sand."

Suddenly Sun hated her voice so much his ears were almost bleeding. "You don't-"

"Accept it, Sun. I have you _exactly_ where I want you. You know what I'm going to do, and you don't have any way at all to stop it. I can get the Nether Star whether you give it to me or not. You _know_ it's true."

The Wither growled menacingly.

 _ **Hehe, I left you hanging! Hahahahahahahahaha!**_

 _ *****_ _If you understood that reference, we can be friends. Hint: It involves Eddie the computer._

 ** _P.S. If you have any ideas about what Nether plans to do, post it in the reviews._**

 ** _Except you, HeilBastet, because you know. NO SPOILERS, ok, HeilBastet?_**

 ** _But yeah... I is a total weirdo, so, y'know, it could be anything._**


	18. Living Hell

_**OVER THREE PAGES of chapter! WOW! Best I've done so far!**_

 _ **Please enjoy the last and twisted chapter of my little story.**_

 _ **DISCLAIMER: doing crazy weirdo things with blaze powder and nether stars etc. as Nether does will not have the same effects. That was just me being a weirdo.**_

* * *

Sun kind of gulped, his eyes glancing at Nether, who had soul sand pooling in her palm, and the Wither, which had stopped throwing bombs, as it were, but still floated, barely moving, its hollow eye sockets fixed on Sun.

Dragon looked at all three, a worried expression on his face.

Dynamite was totally lost on what was happening, but she did her best not to show it.

The Wither made another low, breathy hum-noise.

And suddenly Dragon stepped up and asked, "Are you _sure_ , Nether?"

"Yes, I am sure," Nether spat. "He closed up _my_ space in the universe and he needs to pay for that."

Sun rubbed his temples.

Nether turned to him. "Go get a Nether Star. _Now_."

Sun plodded off, suddenly looking like a defeated old man, while the Wither whirred behind him. As soon as he was gone, Nether turned to Dragon. "Like I was saying earlier, your Endermen-"

"I know," Dragon interrupted. "And… I'm just not sure, Nether."

Nether scowled. "What would make you unsure? Sun took my dimension and he needs to pay for that. What way better than this?"

Dragon sighed. "I see where you're coming from, but…"

"Just get the netherrack here. And glowstone, and Netherbrick. Just…"

She looked up. " _Please_ , Dragon."

Dragon exhaled. "Okay, okay. But don't blame me if it goes all wrong."

"Great!" Nether's face visibly brightened. "Can you get the Endermen here? Now?"

"I… can try…" Dragon said reluctantly.

"What kind of Guardian are you, that can't control his people?" Nether demanded.

"One who's being rebelled against," Dragon answered grimly. _*****_

But still, three Endermen soon made an appearance. They gibbered a little, relating some thing or another to Dragon, and disappeared in a flurry of purple, leaving three blocks behind them.

Sun tramped out of the massive hole in the wall to where the other two guardians stood.

Nether smiled. "Perfect."

Sun covered his eyes.

"Get back," Nether said to the watching three. "Unless you fancy the idea of burning in hellfire."

Dynamite knitted her eyebrows together.

Dragon looked at the other two. "Get to higher ground," he said. The strange leather garments he wore unfurled to be wings and a giant black dragon flapped its way to a mountain on the horizon.

Dynamite started and then began to run in the same direction, not fully comprehending what was going on.

She tripped over her own feet in their clunky metal boots. It took a moment of deliberation, but she began the struggle to get her armour off. It seemed that for the moment she'd be safer without it.

Nether was murmuring things under her breath as the Wither hung eerily over her head.

Dynamite finally managed to get the cumbersome metal suit off and ran, even faster than before, scared of what would follow, whatever that was.

About halfway, she caught up to Sun. "What is she _doing_?"

She didn't want to talk to him, but it seemed she wouldn't find out what was going on any other way.

"Did she ever tell you about what she said when she first came here?" Sun asked bleakly.

Dynamite shook her head.

""Tell them that the Nether has come to the Overworld," she said," Sun groaned. "And she's doing just that."

This was still rather cryptic, and Dynamite couldn't quite make sense of the words.

A tear traced down Sun's cheek; or was it just the light?

"I shouldn't have done it," he said.

Then he stopped abruptly. "Dragon dropped us Ender Pearls." He pointed to the grass. Sun picked up one of the orbs and threw it at the mountain.

Dynamite did the same.

Nether finished her muttering of her strange, rather unearthly chants, and looked at the Soul Sand in her hand.

She scattered it in a circle shape around her. With lightning speed she fished a Blaze rod out of her little pouch by her waist, ground it to powder beneath her heel, and flung it on top of the Soul Sand. Then she sat in the middle of the circle, on top of the block of Netherrack, with the block of glowstone to one side and the Netherbrick on the other. She held the Nether Star in her hand, its cold points pressing into her palm. For a moment she was completely still.

Then everyone in the Overworld heard a yell.

" _Oorinde Nim'h'er!"_

And Nether tossed the Nether star into circle of powders.

With a crackle and a _whoomph_ it blazed up.

Dynamite felt that this was an extreme anticlimax. Why had Nether gone to all that trouble just to make a fire?

But the crackle was getting louder.

And the red was spreading.

And it wasn't just fire.

Some of the red was Netherrack.

It was swirling along the ground with incredible speed, flushing out any green. It clambered upwards in columns and strange overhanging hills. The sun's light faded to a dull red before any glimpse of the sun was obliterated by a ceiling spreading over the world.

People panicked and fled. In the village where Nether had terrified the little girl herding chickens, people locked themselves inside houses, sure it was the apocalypse. In the village where Dynamite had worked, Point Pass, people stared around at the Netherrack that threatened to break apart their humble little abodes and workplaces. The wizened old librarian swore that it was the Herobrine-girl's doing.

Finally Dynamite understood what Sun had meant by, ""Tell them that the Nether has come to the Overworld," she said. And she's doing just that."

As Dynamite glanced at Sun, much as she disliked him and thought that he was a conceited lunatic, she couldn't help pitying him just a little as the tears ran down his cheeks. After all, he had sort of done what he did to protect his people. It was a sick and twisted type of protective instinct, but still.

As a lava ocean rose up around Nether, pulling her up with it, she spiralled higher and higher, above the surface of the lava, up until her head was only centimetres away from the roof of the cavern.

And she laughed.

* * *

 ** _HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THE PLOT TWISTS ARE MINE! ALL MINE!_**

 ** _I really hope you enjoyed. I did. This chapter was SOOOO MUUUUUCH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN to write!_**

 ** _Now if you're a nice person (Not like me) maybe you won't want want all the Overworld-dwellers to suffer in pain in a living hell (what a perculiar notion) then I might maybe make a sequel if you want (The things I do for you guys :P)._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed my little tale._**

 ** _Anyway, I gotta go. So long, and thanks for all the fish!_**

* * *

 ** _*Possible Easter Egg for possible future story. Heh heh heh._**


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